Nasal irrigator.



No. 716,931.` Patented Dec. 30, |902. C. H. PATT\SON.

NASAL IRRIGATOR.

(Application led June 21, 1902.)

(No Model.)

PATENT BEIGE.

CHARLES II. PATTISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NASAL IRRIGATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716.931, dated December 30, 1902.

Application filed June 21, 1902. Serial No. 112,672. (No model.)

To n/ zult/)7n it :ot/ty concern:

Be it known that LGHARLES H. PATTIsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nasal Irrigators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to nasal irrigators; and it consists of the combination,with a receptacle for containing' liquid, of a suitable` removable plugI or stopple, an air-tube coinmunicating with theliquid-receptacle and eX- tending outside the plug, so as to be manipulated by the hand of the operator for cout-rolling the inlet of air, and a nasal tube extending through the plug and communicating with the interior of the receptacle, formed with a downwardly-extendiug bend or curve intermediate its upper end and where it passes through the plug or stopple.

It consists, secondly, of the combination, with a suitable liquid-containing' receptacle, of a suitable removable plug or stopple, an air-tube passed through the said plug and projectingr into the interior of the receptacle and having its outer end projecting over the plug and extending upwardly, so as to be under the control of the finger of the operator, and a nasal tube inserted into the plug and communicating with the interior of the receptacle, projecting from the outside of the plug and curved or bent downwardly and then upwardly, the outer end of the said nasal tube being provided with a bulb.

It consists, thirdlyjof the combination,with a suitable liquid-containing receptacle, of a suitable removable plug, an air-tube passing through the plug and projectingr into the intericr of the receptacle and having its inner end turned upwardly and projecting from the outer surface of the plug and extending upwardly and then rearwardly, and a nasal tube which is inserted into the plug and communicates with the interior of the receptacle and projects from the outer surface of the plug and is bent downwardly and then upwardly, substantially in line with the airtube, and provided on its upper end with a bulb, the construction and arrangement being such that liquid can be applied to the nasal passage while the head is in a substantially natural position, and the air-supply can be controlled by the same hand with which the receptacle is held.

The object of my invention is the production of a nasal Airrigator which can be held and operated with one hand and which when in use will permit the head of the patient to be held in practically a normal or natural position while the receptacle is tilted or inclined, and at the Sametime liquid will be provented from entering the air-tube and the said air-tube will be under the perfect control of the hand of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a head, showing the manner of using the device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section.

Many nasal irrigators have been devised, a number of which are on the market, and the present invention is designed to overcome the defects which are in such devices. In the first place it is important to provide a nasal irrigator which can be used without requiring the head of a patient to be thrown or held in an unnatural or uncomfortable position and also to provide for the admission of air to the interior of the liquid-receptacle during the operation ot' irrigating the nasal passage and at the same time prevent the passage of liquid into the air-tube. It is also desirable that the device shall be so constructed and arranged that it can be held and operated with only one hand vand at the same time have the flow of liquid Linder perfect, absolute, and easy control. I accomplish this result by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which I will now describe.

l in the drawings represents a liquid-receptacle of any suitable shape and construction, but preferably made in the shape of a bottle, which latter has a number of graduation-marks 2, which will be found very convenient for indicating the proportion in which the ingredients intended to be used are to be mixed together. 'Iheliquid-receptacle is provided with a suitable plug or stopple 3, which latter is provided with apertures in which is inserted an air-tube 4 and a nasal tube 5, the tubes being arranged, preferably, one above IOO the other. The air-tube 4 extends a short distance into the interior of the liquid-receptacle and has its inner end turned upwardly,as at 6, and its other end projects from the outer surface of the plug or stopple and is turned upwardly and then preferably rearwardly, as at 7. By means of this construction and arrangement liquid is prevented from entering the inner end of the air-tube when the liquidreceptacle is tilted or inclined, and the outer end of the air-tube is within easy reach and can be conveniently operated by the hand of the person who is holding the liquid-receptacle. The nasal tube 5 communicates with the interior of the liquid-receptacle and projects upwardly from the outer surface of the plug or stopple and is bent downwardly and then upwardly, as at 8, the outer end of the said nasal tube being formed with an enlargement or bulb 9, the bulb being reduced at its outer end to conveniently rest against and slightly enter the nasal passage in such manner that all theliquid will be directed into the nasal passage.

By forming the nasal tube with the'bend 8 the nasal passages can be thoroughly irrigated without requiring the patient to throw his head into an unusual and tiresome position, by reason of which also the medicinal iiuid when discharged from the other nostril can iiow readily into a receptacle placed to receive the same.

I regard the location and arrangement, especially of the air-tube and the nasal tube with respect to each other, as an important feature of my invention, for the reason that, as before stated, the device can be held and operated with one hand and the flow of liquid and the ad mission of air perfectly controlled.

A valuable feature of my irrigator is the peculiar shape of the nasal tube, which renders the instrument practical for the purpose designed.

There is no danger in using my device of there being a rush of liquid through the nostril from hydrostatic pressure, with the attendant danger of strangling and forcing thev liquid into the Eustachian tube, which sometimes occurs in using fountain-douches. By

extending the air-tube only a comparatively short distance into the interior of the liquidreceptacle and turning the end upwardly there is little or no liability of Water getting into said air-tube,wi th the consequent bad results, whereas in -constructions in which the airtube extends nearly to the bottom of the liquid-receptacle, in which latter construction the tube is immersed in the liquid contained in the bottle when the bottle is inverted, the air-tube is partially filled with liquid, and on removing the thumb a portion or all of said liquid escapes and runs down the face and neck of the patient.

Having no w described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a nasal irrigator, the combination with a suitable liquid-retaining receptacle, of a plug or stopple therefor, an air-tube passing through said plug and projecting into the interior of said receptacle, the said tube projecting beyond the outer face of the plug and turned outwardly, a nasal tube also extending into the plug in line with the air-tube and communicating with the interior of the liquidreceptacle,said tube projecting from the outer face of the plug and bent downwardly and upwardly and terminating in a bulb, substantially as described.

2. In a nasal irrigator, the combination with a suitable liquid-retaining receptacle, of a plug or stopple therefor, an air-tube passing through the said plug and projecting into the interior of said receptacle and having its inner end turned upwardly, the said tube projecting beyond the outer face of the plug and turned outwardly, a nasal tube also extending through the plug in line with the air-tube and communicating with the interior of the liquid-receptacle, said tube projecting from the outer face of the plug and bent downwardly and upwardly and terminating in a bulb, the construction being such that the de- A vice can be held and operated in one hand and the flow of air and liquid controlled thereby, while the head of a patient is held in a natural position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES', n. PATTIsoN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES C. SPENCER, GEORGE E. WIssLER. 

